Why Bother with a Travel Agent?

[ladysail2]

I currently have 5 cruises booked, two being handled by separate travel agents. I used the first agent two, maybe three times. Mainly because others going on that cruise are using her. I’m paying cruise line rates, she’s not offering any perks..no OBC, no bottle of wine, no free dinner….she couldn’t get me insurance, she couldn’t figures out flights that I wanted.  I booked my own flights, I got my own insurance.  For the second agent, I have  a friend who works in the same agency so I thought I’d give the business, some business. Well…he did give me a $50 OBC……but he doubled the deposit amount taken from my cc and said it was a mistake and would have to speak to the cruise line about changing it. I found out he placed my booking in a group booking….and I’m still paying the cruise line’s rate. Aren’t group bookings at a better price than the cruise line’s rates?  Then, when my cruise price went down and I asked to have it repriced, he took away his OBC.    I thought of all this and asked myself……why am I bothering to use a TA. I’m not gaining anything and they’re making money off my booking.  These aren’t complicated bookings at all.  Wish I had just booked them myself.   Does your TA do anything for you?

[jean87510]

Just now, ladysail2 said:

I currently have 5 cruises booked, two being handled by separate travel agents. I used the first agent two, maybe three times. Mainly because others going on that cruise are using her. I’m paying cruise line rates, she’s not offering any perks..no OBC, no bottle of wine, no free dinner….she couldn’t get me insurance, she couldn’t figures out flights that I wanted.  I booked my own flights, I got my own insurance.  For the second agent, I have  a friend who works in the same agency so I thought I’d give the business, some business. Well…he did give me a $50 OBC……but he doubled the deposit amount taken from my cc and said it was a mistake and would have to speak to the cruise line about changing it. I found out he placed my booking in a group booking….and I’m still paying the cruise line’s rate. Aren’t group bookings at a better price than the cruise line’s rates?  Then, when my cruise price went down and I asked to have it repriced, he took away his OBC.    I thought of all this and asked myself……why am I bothering to use a TA. I’m not gaining anything and they’re making money off my booking.  These aren’t complicated bookings at all.  Wish I had just booked them myself.   Does your TA do anything for you?

sounds like a page out of my experiences with TAs.  I dont bother with them as I am a micro manager and think I can do better 😁  Plus the OBC doesn't interest me one bit.  I preplan everything so no need for it.  

[yogimax]

I book directly... like to control my own reservation.

[mandream]

For those needing or wanting personal service or assistance a GOOD travel agent could be very worthwhile.

 

I would prefer to handle everything on my own, but I have been using a TA for years who offers me significant savings via OBC.  I wouldn't transfer a reservation for $50.  He's very responsive and it's worth it to me to use him.

 

Mike

[chiguypaul]

I stopped using TAs a long time ago. I’m always making rate changes as prices go down and they hated helping me with those. I find it easier going it on my own. My interior rooms are always very low margin for them so not worth their time to service me. 

[LilBlackDress]

Sounds to me you got the wrong TAs
I have used the same agent for most of my bookings since 2009... We lost touch for a year or so when he switch companies. He always gives me OBC, Specialty Resturant and occasionally a bottle of wine. I am kind of a control freak but he knows how to deal with me! I can send an email in the middle of the night and by 7am it is handled or if he is off someone from the office takes care of it or calls me... 

[Lane Hog]

Ever since the internet bookings came out, we've booked direct.  No regrets.  But we are pretty self sufficient as far as making our own air arrangements and finding excursions.

[boscobeans]

I closed my own agency in 2003 and retired from the business. I searched around to find a good agent and finally after a while I found one.

 

Over the last 18 plus years and dozens of cruises the savings have been very substantial with reduced or very extended deposits. She takes care of our casino perks, insurance and all the other details. No charges for cancellations and always willing to make changes as we often must change dates.

 

We are lucky to have found her and always do better than with the cruise lines but do understand there are agents and agencies that do not perform as well as ours. 

 

I think she will be retiring soon, and we will look for another if we are still cruising. 

[luckyinpa]

boy that sounds like a bad agency OP.  i got 650 obc for my last october cruise and 500 for this may's cruise on oasis. i require nothing other than him booking me and wouldnt even know what other services he offers. but i'm happy with the price and do everything else myself. i get insurance thru tripinsurancestore which is cheaper and better coverage anyway. 

 

on the most recent booking i made my cruise went down just 40 bucks and i emailed him and got the pricing. but i dont mind monitoring my own stuff. my cabin has increased substantially since booking and i'm lucky to have gotten what i got

[swmichigan cruiser]

4 minutes ago, LilBlackDress said:

Sounds to me you got the wrong TAs
I have used the same agent for most of my bookings since 2009... We lost touch for a year or so when he switch companies. He always gives me OBC, Specialty Resturant and occasionally a bottle of wine. I am kind of a control freak but he knows how to deal with me! I can send an email in the middle of the night and by 7am it is handled or if he is off someone from the office takes care of it or calls me... 

I am a control freak also and my TA does know I will always keep checking to get the best deals. Right now I have 8 cruises booked with her and probably have booked around 50 with her in the past and she knows what cabins I like. I also get at least $100 onboard credit and cash back after every cruise. Our October cruise this year we will get $750 cash back. I also know she is very busy so I try to do a lot of the leg work before I contact her.

[boscobeans]

2 minutes ago, swmichigan cruiser said:

 I also know she is very busy so I try to do a lot of the leg work before I contact her.

Excellent point.

We know what ship, when we want to cruise and a choice of categories and locations. 

[neverbeenhere]

7%-11% of Cruise Fare in Perks.

[mandream]

4 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

7%-11% of Cruise Fare in Perks.

 

That's exactly right. 

 

Mike 

[Buccaneergirl]

I have only had bad experiences with TA’s because of price drops, so I no longer book with them.

 I call RC directly.

i have called the TA and they aren’t available, so I leave a message about the price drop and by the time they get back to me….

”I’m sorry, I don’t see that the price has gone down”

Well ok, I’m just going to do it on my own then!

 

Edited March 18, 2022 by Buccaneergirl

[Travelling2Some]

I'm a person who enjoys the planning and the research and I also like to stay in control of my bookings.  I tried using travel agents twice and could immediately tell that I knew far more about my destination than they did.  Also felt both times that they were attempting to "schmooze" me into accommodations that would not suit me while acting like they were doing me an enormous "insider" favor.  I don't have much use for OBC and I like to keep things simple and buy things directly from the seller with no middleman.   I also like to be able to relocate my cabin or grab a price drop quickly.  Travel agents are just not for me BUT I am not saying they do not work for other people who are of a different mindset if you can find a good one.

[lovescats5]

We have always used a TA because of circumstances.  After years realized he was not helping us, whenever we needed something he would be on vacation.  Have now found a great TA.  I give him a basic idea of which ships we might like and where we would like to go.  He knows what rooms we like and will watch for new sailings.  Knowing we stay in Star Class makes it easy for him and I don't have to keep looking to see when a might book a new cruise.  Of course there is no checking to see if the room went down, SC pretty much only goes up.  I still check to see what is going on thru RCI but I won't do it all myself.  Will keep my TA until we no longer sail.

 

[resetjet]

We always get at least $50,  perks and sometimes exclusive offers such as free tips.  Its nice to have a middleman sometimes.  

[brillohead]

When I got started with cruising, I would just handle it all myself.  But when you find a *good* TA, there's just no need.

I don't think my current TA ever sleeps.  If I hadn't met him in person, I might think he's an AI bot of some kind, because he's always available!  He's responded to emails on weekends, or at midnight on a weekday (I work nights as a nurse, so most of my cruise planning happens at odd hours).

Because of his affiliation with a big name travel company, I've been able to get access to Group Rates that wouldn't have been available otherwise (NEWS FLASH: group rates are refundable up until Final Payment, without having to pay the higher refundable fare!), plus sometimes a bit of OBC as well. And if he sees a super-cheap group rate come across his desk, he emails me and lets me know -- sometimes I take advantage of the opportunity, and sometimes it just doesn't appeal or work with my dates, but I never would have had the option if I didn't have him to bring it to my attention.

When the time came to Lift-n-Switch my cancelled cruises or redeem my FCCs, he took care of all of it -- I never had to wait on hold with RCI or anything.  And he keeps track of my Final Payment dates and pays them for me with my credit card on file, so I don't have to keep track of anything (good thing, too, because I think some of my FPs fall on days when I'm on another cruise).  

I understand why some people just feel better managing their own cruises directly with RCI... and if I didn't have a TA like the one I have, I would probably do the same.  But a good TA who is also easily accessible is a dream come true!

Also, on Group Rates, a solo cruiser has to pay the deposit for two people, so that's why you got charged $500 instead of $250.  But they're fully refundable, so it doesn't bother me at all.

 

[BirdTravels]

Most people use TAs for the perks and kickbacks. 

[Vacation...Yes]

Are travel agent perks negotiable? This will be our 5th cruise booking with the same agency. They have their weekly promotions/incentives that we’ve always been given but I’ve never tried negotiating for more. Thanks

[smplybcause]

I've yet to find the mythical cc good TA. The closest I've gotten is a warehouse one where I at least get a gift card and their groups have good perks. 

 

Every other TA I've used wasn't that impressive. 

[ladysail2]

3 hours ago, LilBlackDress said:

Sounds to me you got the wrong TAs
I have used the same agent for most of my bookings since 2009... We lost touch for a year or so when he switch companies. He always gives me OBC, Specialty Resturant and occasionally a bottle of wine. I am kind of a control freak but he knows how to deal with me! I can send an email in the middle of the night and by 7am it is handled or if he is off someone from the office takes care of it or calls me... 

That reminds me…I emailed the second TA saying that there was a cruise that I might add to another. I told them the cruise line cost and asked what he could do for me….and that cruise was in a balcony. He never responded!!  I simply booked it myself. 

[ladysail2]

1 hour ago, brillohead said:

Also, on Group Rates, a solo cruiser has to pay the deposit for two people, so that's why you got charged $500 instead of $250.  But they're fully refundable, so it doesn't bother me at all.

 

That’s interesting…he never told me he put my booking into a group rate, nor did he tell me why the deposit doubled….it’s good to know that it’s a refundable rate.  Because I haven’t been able to get hold of him, I phoned Royal for a detailed invoice. It was Royal who told me I was in a group booking. The Cruise Summary from this particular agency has very little information on it.  I like Royal’s invoices.  He’s not being honest with me and yet removes the small OBC because the rate went down a bit.  Also…when I asked him to add the gratuities to the cruise fare, a separate line appeared on their cruise summary saying PrePaid Gratuities - Amenities…..as if they paid for them.    You can bet that company will not get my business again.  Unfortunately the booking is in US $$, or I’d cancel and rebook…but I lose money on a transaction like that.  Live and Learn!

[brillohead]

38 minutes ago, ladysail2 said:

That’s interesting…he never told me he put my booking into a group rate, nor did he tell me why the deposit doubled….it’s good to know that it’s a refundable rate.  Because I haven’t been able to get hold of him, I phoned Royal for a detailed invoice. It was Royal who told me I was in a group booking. The Cruise Summary from this particular agency has very little information on it.  I like Royal’s invoices.  He’s not being honest with me and yet removes the small OBC because the rate went down a bit.  Also…when I asked him to add the gratuities to the cruise fare, a separate line appeared on their cruise summary saying PrePaid Gratuities - Amenities…..as if they paid for them.    You can bet that company will not get my business again.  Unfortunately the booking is in US $$, or I’d cancel and rebook…but I lose money on a transaction like that.  Live and Learn!

 

 

Being in a Group Rate, other than the double deposit, isn't any big deal.  It doesn't affect your reservation or cruise experience in any way. 

[LilBlackDress]

1 hour ago, ladysail2 said:

That reminds me…I emailed the second TA saying that there was a cruise that I might add to another. I told them the cruise line cost and asked what he could do for me….and that cruise was in a balcony. He never responded!!  I simply booked it myself. 

WOW you definatly found the wrong TAs... very sad!
I know there are several TAs on these boards that would be happy to help but it is against the R&R on CC...